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(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Shwt l.

S. R. SGHA'RF.

CONCRETE MIXER. No. 447,366. Patented Mar, 3,-1891.

VIII. l'unl 1" I (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3' S. R. SGHARF.

CONCRETE MIXER.

No. 447,366; Patented Mar. 3, 1891.

Swuemfoz JMZ- 6 4 I lvflmooeo kom NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL R. SOHARF, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CONCRETE-MIXER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 447,366, dated March 3, 1891.

Application filed December 20, 1888. Serial No. 294,228- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL R. SOHARF, a. citizen of the United States, residing at VV-ashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Concrete Mixers or Agitators; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to certain improvements in concrete-mixers for use, particularly, in the preparation of paving materials. By the use of my machine I am able to mix said material more quickly than heretofore,

. and at the same time more uniformly.

The machine is preferably mounted on a frame provided with wheels or rollers and having an engine for propelling the same from place to place. It is also provided with a system of elevators, receiving-bins, watertanks, mixing-chambers, and other adjunctive devices, as will hereinafter fully appear.

In the drawings the following views are shown:

Figure 1 is a plan View of the machine with the hoppers and elevators removed; Fig. 2, a side elevation showing the propelling mechanism with the operating-engine removed; Fig. 3, a longitudinal section of one ofthe drums, showing the sweeps and waternozzles in position; Fig. 4, a cross-section of one of the drums; Fig. 5, a separate front elevation of the hopper and its drum; Fig. 6, a similar view of one of the detached drums, showing a modification in the device for opening the door therein; Fig. 7, a top elevation of a portion of one of the drums; Fig. 8, an enlarged view of the device for throwing the two friction-wheels together, and Fig. 9a modification of a steering device.

Before beginning a description of the machine it should be understood that because I have mentioned my improved apparatus as being adapted for the purpose of mixing the various ingredients of concrete I am not thereby limited to such particular use, as the machine is capable of use in many instances where it is necessary to thoroughly mingle together two or more separate ingredients on' I large scale.

The main frame of the machine is composed, preferably, of the beams A A A A fastened securely and rigidly together at their ends, so as to thereby form a rectangular v and connecting these in turn are the shortconnecting I-beams G O.

The frame-work, as just described, is mounted upon suitable wheels at a a a, made with very wide peripheries, so that the wheels will not sink too deeply'into the ground.

In order that the machine may be effectively guided, I have adopted the following arrangement for pivotally mounting the forward wheels on the frame-work: Each of these forward wheels is supported within a yoke 13 B made of any suitable construction, and extending directly upward from the center of each yokeis a short vertical shaft 19 12, passing through the bearing-block b which is secured firmly and rigidly to the forward beam. These bearing-blocks b are used in order that it may not be necessary to pass the short shafts Z) I) immediately through the I- beams, thereby weakening the same; but it may sometimes be advisable to dispense with the bearing-blocks b and utilize the forward I-beam instead by simply providing a cylindrical bearing in the same for each shaft 1). At the extreme upper end of each shaft 1) b b is rigidly secured a short horizontal arm 0, preferably extending directly backward to a point above the forward beam, and at the extreme end of each of said horizontal arms 0 is pivoted the end of a long connecting-rod 0, made of metal with some degree of elasticity. This connecting-rod extends at about its central portion through two upright bearings 0 0 each of which is firmly attached to the forward I-beams, and at'this portion and for some distance on each side of the bearings c it is provided with an ordinary Y screw-thread c Engaging with this screw.-

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which successively an operating-rod may be inserted for a like purpose. B y either of these means it will be evident that the nut d may be rotated, and since it is incapable of lateral movement the threads 0 will be forced either to the right or to the left and the connectingrod will be forced in a like direction. The short arms 0 0 will be also moved corresponding with the movements of the connecting-rod c, and the shaft 1) Z) 11 yokes B and B and the forward wheels will be turned partly around, and in this way the machine can be guided in any direction.

In Fig. 9 is shown a modification of the steeringmechanism, which consists in substituting in place of the nut cl a worm-wheel d. Engaging with this worm-wheel is a worm 51 made continuous with a shaft (Z and adapted to be rotated bya crank (Z By this means the same operation will take place as in the device just describedviz., the wormwheel is rotated by the worm and crank and the connecting-rod c is moved either to the right or to the left.

An operating-engine C of any well-known or suitable construction is mounted on the frame-work, preferably near one of its side irons A, and this operating-engineis supplied with'steam through the instrumentality of a conducting-pipe from an ordinary boiler 0 preferably of the upright variety. Since there is considerable space on each side of this boiler, it might be advantageous to erect a suitable inclosu re around the same for holding the coal or other fuel for the boiler.

Keyed rigidly to the short shaft 8 of the operating-engine is a small gear-wheel or pinion e, and similarly secured to the same shaft is the usual fly-wheel G which can be in the position illustrated in the drawings; or instead it may be on the extreme end of the shaft and entirely to one side of the machine. The pinion c engages with a much larger gear-wheel e", which is rigidly mounted on the long main shaft D, extending entirely from one end of the machine to the other and bearing in suitable bearing-boxes e on the side I beams of the frame-work. Rigidly mounted on this main shaft D, near its extreme ends, is an ordinary friction pulley or wheel f, made with a corrugated or serrated periphery, as is usual, inorder that a large frictional surface may be obtained. Extending vertically downward from each bearing-box c are the two guide-bars f f, forming a track within which the small rectangular block f is capable of vertical movement upward and downward. Mounted and capable of rotary movement within this block is a long shaft g, extending horizontally across from one block to the other and parallel with the main shaft D. Rigidly mounted 011 this shaft g and directly beneath the friction-wheelsffare a couple of similar friction-wheels 9, so arranged that the ridges of the periphery of the friction-Wheelsf will exactly correspond with the recesses on the periphery of each friction-wheel g. On one side of one or both of the blocks f is a cam or inclined plane 9 made with either a curved or a straight surface. The former, however, is preferable. A lever h is pivoted to the extreme lower end of the guide-bars ff, and attached to this lever near its pivoting-point is a cam or inclined plane 71', corresponding in shape with the inclined plane g and engaging with the latter, so that when the lever h is moved in the proper direction either to the right or to the left the two cams will ride up on each other, and the blocks f will be elevated, thereby causing the engagement of the friction-wheelsfand g, and since the upper wheelsfare supposed to be rotated by the operating-engine it follows that the lower friction-wheels g will be rotated thereby. Fastened rigidly to the shaft g, side by side with the friction-wheels g, are the two sprocket wheels 712 71 over which the drive or sprocket chains 72, extend. These drive or sprocket chains also engage with the periphcry of the sprocket-wheels 'i i, and to the axle of each of these latter sprocket wheels is rigidly keyed a gear-wheel i. This gearwheel i engages with a somewhat larger gear-wheel t attached to the axle 2' for each rear wheel a a, of the machine. By this means it will be seen that the lever h may be moved either to the right or left, thereby forcing the friction-wheels together, and through the intervention of the sprocket-chains 7L3 will op erate the rear wheels of the machine, and the apparatus will be forced forward during the time when the friction-wheels are being held together; but as soon as the lever h is moved back to its original position the two frictionwheels will be separated and the mechanical connections between the operatingengine and the drive-wheels of the machine will be broken.

The parts of the machine just described do not relate strictly to the mechanism for mixing and agitating the various ingredients of the concrete, but only to such parts as are necessary for the transportation of the mixing mechanism proper.

The mixing mechanism will be now described in all its details.

Keyed rigidly to the main shaft D on each side of the central cross-beams are two small beveled miter pinionsjj, so arranged as to preferably face in opposite directions. These pinions jj each engage with a large beveled miter-gear j j, loosely mounted on an axle E E, and the enlarged hubj j of each is provided at its extreme outer edge with serrations 7' Each axle E E bears in suitable bearing-boxes k k, secured preferably on the upper face of the forward and rear beams, and mounted on each of said axles is a friction-clutch is, adapted to engage with the serrations in the hubof the miter-gear. Each of said friction-clutches is mounted on its respective axle so as to be deprived of any rotary movement thereon; but at the same time it should be capable of a short lateral movement on the shaft so that it may be forced into engagement with the serrated hub of each miter-gear, and in order that such clutch may be easily moved into engagement with or away from the serrated hub, it is preferable to make use of a clutch-lever 70 engaging with a slot in each clutch, so that the said lever maybe moved, and thereby causing the engagement between or the separation of the two serrated portions of the clutch or of the hub 9' respectively. Loosely mounted on each shaft E, between the connecting-beams C O and the rear I-beams A, is a hollow cylindrical metallic drum F F, and within each drum is emptied the various ingredients before being thoroughly mingled together. It will be seen that the drums are connected to the shafts only by yielding or frictional connectionthat is, through the material in the drums and the stirring-arms. In order that the Various ingredients may be introduced into each drum F,I have made use of alarge sliding door G G on each, which is adapted to normally cover a rectangular opening Z in each drum. These doors G G are held in position on each drum by means ofa guide rod or track Z, extending directly over each door and to one side thereof for a sufficient distance, so as to accommodate the door when it is forced entirely open. In order that the doors may not become disengaged from beneath the guide rod or track -Z', it is preferable to make use of a number of small rollers (two or more) Z Z which bear against the side of each guide-rod.

That portion of the shaft E inside of the drumsF is made with a cylindrical chamber m therein, and communicating with this chamber are a number of short curved pipes or nozzles 'm m, each of which curve in the same direction. Itis necessary thatthe curve at the ends of each of these short pipes or nozzles should be approximately a full half-iv circle, and the necessity of this requirement will be apparent when the functions of these pipes are explained. These pipes or nozzles are secured in position on the shaft or axle E in anyconvenient and suitable manner, such posed of a separate metallic shovel-piece,-se-

on red in position on each radiating arm by means of bolts or set-screWs.-- By thus securing these scraping-pieces in place they can be very easily removed and in case of Wearanewone can be readily substituted in place of the worn one. 'Theradiatingarmsn areprovidedat their rear extremities with an integral hub 0, encircling the shaft or axle E, and in order that these hubs and radiating arms may be forced to rotate with the said shaft or axle they are made practically integral with each other by simply bolting or similarly securing the said hubs to shaft or axle.

The cylindrical chamber an inside of' the shaftE extends entirely out to the extreme rear end thereof and is connected with or rather leads into a conducting-pipe 0', which extends directly upward and communicates with a metallic water-tank H, secured, preferably, to the rear end of the hopper I, which will be described more fully hereinafter. In order that the shaft E may revolve without obstructing the passage of the water from the 0011- ducting-pipe o and the cylindrical chamber m, it is necessary to make use of a packed 'joint 19 at the meeting place of the shaft E and the conducting-pipe. The construction of this joint is immaterial, the only essential requisite being that its construction should be sufficiently perfect so as to prevent any leakage of water at that particular point. In order that the flow of water from the tank H may be controlled, either checked or started, an ordinary hand-valve p is interposed within the boreof the conducting-pipe 0, and the construction or character of this valve is also immaterial.

As mentioned before,a hopperlis mounted above each drum Rand it has also been mentioned that the various ingredients for the concrete are first emptied into this hopper before being dumped into. the drum directly beneath. Each hopper consists, preferably, of a rectangular box-shaped body 19 made of a length about equal to the length of the drums or perhaps a trifle shorter, and this body portion mounted on standards 19 19 The bottom of each of these hoppers is made of two parts or sections q 'and q, hinged at the lower extremities of the sides of the body port-ion p and on one of these parts or sections is fastened a small lap-plate g so that when both parts are drawn upwardly the lapplate q" will reach over upon the other part, and in this way a comparatively tight joint will be obtained. A shaft r extends the entire length of the body portion of each hopper and bears in the front and side of each hopper, and on the end of this shaft is rigidly mounted a small ratchet-Wheel r, and engaging with the teeth of this ratchet-wheel is an ordinarypawl'r. Suitable chainsriattached to each section q q, extend upward and are attached to the shaft 7', so that when the same shaft is revolved the chains Will be Wound up thereon, and thereby elevating the two bottom sections of the hopper. This revolution of the shaft 7 is preferably accomplished by means of a removable crank, which can be inserted over the end of the shaft and rotated, and when the chains r are fully wound upon the said shaft and are held in such position by means of the pawl r the crank can be removed. These hoppers should be in such arrangement with relation to the drums F that when the sections q q are lowered they will just fit within or enter the opening in each drum, as shown in Fig. 5, and the material will thereby be effectively guided inside of the drums. In order that the door G G in each of the drums may be eifectively opened and the material expelled from the interior of the drum, I have devised two forms of mechanism, which are illustrated in Figs. 1 and 6, and either of these can be used. The device for this purpose illustrated in Fig. 1 will be first described.

On each of the doors G G are securely fastened one or more lugs s s, which can be made integral with the doors if great strength is essential; but I prefer to make them of separate pieces, so that they can be removed in case of necessity. A metallic rod or bar 8' .9 extends on one side of each drum, and preferably passes through bearings secured to the under side of the front and rear I-irons, so that each bar may be at liberty to be moved longitudinally alongside of the drums. On each of these bars is secured a number of lugs t t, corresponding in number with the lugs s s, and these lugs 25 i also are similar to the lugs s s in their shape and construction. means it will be apparent that the bar or rod 8 3 may be so moved that the lugs ttwill exactly coincide with the lugs s s, so that when the drum is rotated the two series of lugs will come into contact with each other and the forward motion of the door with the drum will be arrested. The drum, however, continues to revolve, and by this means the doors will be opened and the contents of the drum will fall out through the opening that was covered by the doors G G. This form is a very satisfactory one if it were not for the liability of the door being forced open accidentally or even dropping open by its own weight; but by the use of the form illustrated in Fig. 6 there can be no possibility of the doorbecomingaccidentallyforced open. This form is as follows: A lug u, very similar in construction to the lugs s s, is secured to the door G of the drum, and preferably near one side thereof, so as to be within easy reach of the operator from the outside of the machine. Engaging with this lug when the door G is closed is a latch to, provided with an enlarged head 10, having a slot or socket therein, within which the lug a is passed. This latch is made preferably of a curved form, as shown, and this latch is kept normally in engagement with the lug u by means of a leafspring 0, which, if need be, may be substituted by a coiled spring. The forward portion of this latch is made inclined, as shown, so that when the door is closed the lug will force the latch to one side and the slot in the enlarged head a" will engage with the lug u. Pivoted to the connecting Iirons C (J C on one side of each drum is a By thisthem into the hoppers I.

curved arm J in line with the lug 'LL, and provided at its extreme lower end with an enlarged head to, provided with a slot therein corresponding with the head a and its slot. In this form of device the following operation of parts takes place: The door is supposed to be locked by the latch 21 and the drum to be revolving. The handle 10 of the curved arm J is forced away from the drum, and this will cause the enlarged head 20 of the same to be carried into contact with the periphery of the drum. As the drum continues to revolve, the curved portion of the latch will come into contact with the under side of the enlarged head of the curved arm and the latch will be forced from engagement with the lug 10. Upon a further rotary movement of the drum the head of the arm J will come into contact with the lug u and the door G will be opened and the contents of the drum will be dropped from the interior of the same. It is necessary that some means be employed to arrest the rotary movement of the drum at such a point that when the sections q q of the hopper are allowed to fall the ends of the same willjust drop within the opening in the drum, as was before explained. Such a device consists simply of a lug m, secured to one of the heads of the drum, and which is adapted to come into engagement with an arm at and therby arrest the motion of the drum when the drum has reached the proper position in the path of rotation. A short inclined chute y is positioned directly beneath each drum, so that the contents therefrom will be deflected toward the rear of the machine, or instead of this chute an Archimedean screw or a conveying-belt operated by the engine might be used.

An elevator K is used to carry the various ingredients up from the ground and dump This elevator is of any well-known and suitable construction, and is provided with the usual buckets y, attached to an endless chain or belt M, which passes around the peripheries .of the pulley or sprocket wheels 3/, and this elevator is operated by a belt or sprocket-chain extending from the main driving-shaft up over the upper pulley. The buckets or scoops y as they pass around the lower pulley or sprocketwheel enter a box Each will scoop up a certain quantity of the material, which will be expelled into the hoppers as the buckets pass over the upper pulley or sprocket wheel and become inverted. A support or bracing-rod z serves to keep the elevator in a rigid position, and by means of this support the lower end of the elevator may be forced farther and farther away from the machine, (upper end of the elevator acting as a pivot,) and the box 2' in this way is elevated. This function is advantageous when it is desired to operate the machine near a curb or any elevation, in which case the box 2 would necessarily have to be elevated.

The operation of a machine as just described is precisely similar whether it is used the ground.

for mixing the different ingredients of concrete or for mixing any other materials, and since I am more familiar with the art ofmixing the former than with any other I will describe the operation of the machine as being used for that purpose. Steam is generated in the boiler and will operate the engine, and through the instrumentality of the pinion e and the gear-Wheel 6 the main driving-shaft D is revolved, and beveled gears jj and miter-gearsyj will be revolved and the elevator K will be started. It is to be supposed that the lug a: is in engagement with the arm 01;, and in consequence that the drum is stationary; that the friction-clutches are disengaged from the serrated hub of the mitergears, and in consequence that the axle E is also stationary; that the friction-wheels are separated; that the door of each drum is opened, and that the parts or sections of the hopper I are elevated, and that the tank H contains a sufficient quantityof water for the purpose intended. The stone, sand, and cement are first placed within the box ,2, and are carried upward and dumpedinto the hoppers. The pawl r is now forced from engagement with the ratchet-wheel 'r, and the sections q q will drop downward, and the contents of the hopper-the stone, sand, and cement will be forced or expelled into the interior of each drum, and the door G G of each is closed by the operator, and is locked in such closed position by the latch. The clutch k is now moved toward the drum and will engage with the serrated hub of each miter-gear which is revolving, and the axle E and its radiating arms will be rotated with it. though there is no'connection between any drum and its respective axle, neverthelessthe friction of the different ingredients withthe radiating arms will be sufficient to rotate the drum, and the material Within the same will be very thoroughly mingled together. After the drum has made a number of revolutions and the ingredients have become partially mixed, the valve 19' is opened, and the water from the tank I-I flows down the conductingpipe 0 and enters the hollow shaft E, from whence it flows through the radiating pipes or nozzles m minto the interior of the drum, and in this way theingredients are sufficiently moistened. By making these pipes or nozzles m m of the curved form shown it will be evident that whatever sand, &c., which may enter at each nozzle at its downward limit of movement will simply drop out as the nozzles reach their upward limit of movement. When the different ingredients have become thoroughly mingled together, the door G G is opened at its lowest position by either of the automatic devices before described, and the material is expelled from the drum and falls upon the before-mentioned chute onto The material is scraped entirely free from the inside walls of the drumsby means of the radiating arms, which continue to revolve with the axle E. The drum is now partially rotated with the door lett open elevated, and the operation just described is repeated indefinitely. Such a mixer as just described is capable of many changes, both in its construction and operation. For instance, the arrangement of all the gearwheels might be changed, or the gear-wheels could be dispensed with and any other mechanical contrivances substituted, or theplace of the elevator could be filled by a conveyer or other device, or the opening arrangement for the doors might be changed, but any of these changes would be the result of more judicious mechanical substitution, and would not. amount to invention, and such changes wouldnotbea departurefromt-he main spiritof myinvention, which consists, primarily, of one or more rotating drums, mechanism for conveying the material to said drum or drums, and discharging mechanism for each drum for expelling the material after it has been mixed thoroughly; also, I do not Wish to be limited to the number of drums or elevators as shown and described, and instead of the Wide peripheral supporting-wheels it might be advisable to use ordinary flanged wheels adapted to run on tracks.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

I 1. The combination,in a concrete-mixer, of a drum loosely mounted on a suitable shaft and having a sliding door with a,stop to engage said door While the drum continues to rotate, thereby opening the door, a series of radiating arms secured to the shaft, and mechanism for rotating the shaft, substantially as set forth.

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radiating arms upon the shaft within said drum, whereby the drum is caused, to rotate by the friction of the arms with the material in the drum, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in a mixer, of a horizontal mixing-drum loosely mounted on a shaft, with stirring-arms on said shaft, whereby the drum is rotated by the friction of the arms and material in the drum, substantially as described.

5. The combination, in aconcrete-mixer, of a drum loosely mounted upon a shaft, a series of radiating arms upon the shaft within said drum, and scrapers on the ends of said arms, whereby the drum is caused to rotate by the friction of the arms with the material in the drum and the material is removed from the inner periphery of the drum, sub stantially as described.

6. The combination,in a concrete-mixer, of a drum loosely mounted on a shaft, 21. series of radiating stirring-arms upon the shaft, whereby the drum is rotated by the friction of the arms with the material in the drum, and a dischargeopening on one side of the drum, substantially as described.

7. The combination,in a concrete-mixer, of a drum loosely mounted on a shaft, a series of radiating stirring-arms provided with scrapers upon the shaft, whereby the drum is rotated by the friction of the arms with the material in the drum, and a discharge-opening in one side of the drum, substantially as described.

8. The combination, in a mixer, of a drum loosely mounted on a hollow rotating shaft and rotated by friction of the material-stirring arms on said shaft, and water-ways between the hollow shaft and drum, substantially as described.

9. The combinatiomin a concrete-mixer, of a drum loosely mounted on a hollow rotating shaft, said drum and shaft being independently movable in the same direction, a series of radiating arms secured to said shaft within the drum, a series of on rved nozzles, also within the drum, connecting with the hollow shaft, substantially as described.

10. The combination, in a concrete-mixer, of a drum loosely mounted on a hollow rotating shaft, said drum and shaft being independently movable in the same direction, a series of radiating arms secured to said shaft within the drum, and a series of curved nozzles connecting with the hollow shaft, said shaft being connected to a water-tank, sub stantially as described. i

11. The combination, in a mixer, of a frame, a drum rotatively mounted on said frame, but loose on its shaft, and rotated by friction of the material in the drum, a shaft adjacent to said drum and rotated by the engine, a beveled pinion on said shaft, a co-operat ing gear loosely mounted on the drum-shaft and provided with a clutch connection with the shaft, and the radiating arms within the drum, substantially as described.

12. The combination, in a mixer, of a frame, one or more drunrs rotatively mounted on said frame, the main shaft D, adjacent to said drum or drums, beveled pinions j j on said main shaft, co-operating gears mounted loosely on hollow shafts E, radiating arms upon said shafts, the curved pipes, also mounted on said shaft and communicating with its center, and a conducting-pipe 0, communicating with a water-tank, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination, in a mixer, of a frame, one or more drums rotatively mounted on said frame and the door of each provided with a lug uthereon, and an arm J, connected to the frame and adapted to engage with said lug as the drum revolves, thereby opening the door, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

SAML. R. SCIIARF. \Vitnesses:

FRANK L. DYER, E. II. BERRY. 

